CHAMBERSBURG - Downtown Chambersburg Inc. President Noel Purdy was back before Chambersburg's planning and zoning commission this week to talk about her organization's efforts to promote the downtown central core business zone and bring more pedestrians and shoppers downtown.

DCI and some of its volunteers suggested earlier this year that the commission look into creating a storefront preservation zone that would regulate to some degree what type of businesses would be encouraged to locate downtown in an effort to draw people downtown and create an atmosphere that improves investor confidence.

She said at present about 40 percent of downtown businesses are retail stores and restaurants. Another 15 percent are offices, 10 percent offer personal services, 15 percent are banks, institutions and churches, and 14 percent are non-traditional uses, such as Kerrstown Square and residential rentals.

Right now, 6 percent of downtown storefronts are vacant.

She said that currently the general perceptions of the downtown business district are that there is not enough retail or entertainment options to bring people downtown in critical mass, and the downtown is essentially empty after 5 p.m.

With the help of input from businesses and others, DCI has developed a list of businesses it considers to be patron and pedestrian generators to draw people downtown, both during the day and later in the evening.

Those include retail and grocery stores, restaurants, places where people can go for a drink and to relax and recharge, such as brewpubs, art galleries, studios and photography studios, fitness and recreation sports centers, amusement and recreation establishments, banks, some types of personal service shops, promoters of performing arts, sports and similar events, visitor welcome centers and museums.

This clip from the Chambersburg zoning map shows the Central Core zone in brown.(Photo: Submitted)

As a part of its comprehensive plan promoting DCI's vision for the downtown area, Purdy said a number of initiatives are underway to improve downtown, including a new downtown branding initiative which is currently in process, a bike and pedestrian improvement plan which is in the planning phase, an ongoing effort to engage private investors, and research of a storefront preservation zone concept.

That concept would promote positive uses of downtown street-level storefronts, Purdy said, especially those storefronts with a high percentage of transparent windows. If eventually incorporated into the borough's zoning code, it would preserve those particular storefronts to make sure they were not removed or altered.

Storefronts with windows such as that create a visual interest from the adjacent public sidewalk and encourage people to come closer and enjoy displays or go in to shop or look around.

She asked commissioners to consider how planning and zoning can support downtown revitalization efforts, suggesting that the commission set up a subcommittee to explore options to achieve that, including a storefront preservation zone in a concentrated area along Main Street and on Lincoln Way on both sides of Memorial Square.

Although Purdy gave the commission a draft of proposed changes that would create a storefront preservation zone, she said it would be up to the planning and zoning commission to make any changes.

Commissioners did discuss forming a sub-committee to work with DCI's Design Committee to finalize a draft for an overlay zone regulations, but took no action on the storefront preservation report.

Phil Wolgemuth, head of the borough's land use and community development, said Chambersburg Borough Council will get a report about DCI's proposed zoning changes when it meets Monday.